Feds: KEL law firm scammed out of $285K

Federal prosecutors in Orlando said Thursday that the high-profile KEL law firm was scammed out of roughly $285,000 from someone pretending to have lost wages from a fictitious employer.

Court documents said that a person who identified himself as "David Benson" contacted KEL via email in July and said he needed to retain legal services in a wrongful termination case against his former employer, "Fred Sanders."

Prosecutors, who filed a civil forfeiture action to recover the money, said both "David Benson" and "Fred Sanders" are aliases.

In August, KEL received a settlement check from "Sanders" for $285,833. "Benson" requested the funds be sent to him at an account he held at a bank in Japan.

Prior to the funds clearing, KEL — formally known as Kaufman, Englett and Lynd — sent the money to the bank account in Japan.

But, prosecutors said, that check was counterfeit.

KEL, whose offices are in downtown Orlando, tried to reverse the wire transfer but was unable to. The law firm also discovered a $500 retainer check was also counterfeit.